Excellent Anscombe buries Bulls

Excellent Anscombe buries Bulls

10 Mar 2012

RYAN VREDE reports on the match where Gareth Anscombe scored all the Blues’ points in a 29-23 victory over the Bulls at Loftus.

Where has this kid been? The Blues have kept faith with the mediocre Michael Hobbs (unavailable tonight) but the 20-year-old Anscombe has surely ousted him through this accomplished, all-round performance. His goalkicking was particularly impressive, outshining Morne Steyn, whose two from six return – the majority of those easy shots – was out of character.

The Bulls just never settled into a distinctive pattern despite bossing possession, territory and the set phases. Credit to the Blues, who, after building a 12-point lead at half-time, played intelligently and forced the Bulls into expansive attacks. The Blues held firm in defence, waiting for runners to isolate themselves then stifling the recycle or forcing infringements at the breakdown.

The Bulls started in the worst possible fashion, conceding a try three minutes into the contest when Anscombe snatched a loose ball and sprinted 50m to score and convert.

However, the Bulls rebounded well, profiting from a man advantage after Ali Williams had been binned with Pierre Spies rounding off a slick blindside move. The Bulls built immense pressure thereafter but butchered a number of scoring opportunities in the Blues’ red zone. They will lament this period when they review the match.

Steyn had missed the earlier conversion attempt then sent an easy shot wide to further compound the Bulls’ struggles. He traded penalties with Anscombe thereafter, but the latter was over the whitewash again just before the break, after a Bulls move broke down well upfield. Anscombe kicked the conversion to give the Blues a commanding 20-8 lead at the break.

Steyn banked three but Anscombe kicked a beauty from the touchline to keep the Blues’ tally ticking over. And the Blues got better as the match progressed, exhibiting none of the tactical naivety that had marked their previous defeats. They punched up through phases and Anscombe continued his kicking masterclass, adding his fourth penalty of the evening to take his side 15 points ahead.

With seven minutes to go the Bulls set up a tense finish, Bjorn Basson scoring. But Steyn pushed his effort wide and despite a late try from Basson the Bulls never threatened to steal the points.

Their limitations when asked to chase a game were brutally exposed tonight. Their impotence is concerning but there is time to remedy their shortcomings in this regard.


482 Comments

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  • 101.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:07 pm

    @weakoma(weakoma)-94:

    Well you did the right thing. Ok the sane thing, not necessarily the right thing.
    The “right” thing would have been to wager and then to have given that man a wiellepapper.

  • 102.cab: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:07 pm

    Come on Bulls.

  • 103.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:07 pm

    Nils is committed AB NZ supporter

  • 104.Clanerk: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:08 pm

    @willievz(willievz)-100: w w w . vipbox. tv/ watch/ 39558/ 1/ bulls-vs-blues-live-stream-online. html, remove the spaces.

  • 105.Nils: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:08 pm

    @CoachPete(CoachPete)-91: Without a doubt. I expect Bulls coming back strongly, the question is – will the Blues have enough to keep them at bay.

    @Clanerk(Clanerk)-96: It is against the odds, yes. Until Loftus is kept quiet I am happy.

  • 106.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:09 pm

    Yip I said oppas miskien kom hier n klein dingetjie gebeur, soon as Stegmann and Hougaard ain’t around Bulletjie blou blou suddenly look little vulnerable round the park.

    Some serious bid en gesels better kom from somewhere else its reality check time for the almighty invincibles

  • 107.Nils: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:10 pm

    @Dawn(Dawn)-103: Yes I am. It will not deter me however to say “well done”, if the Bulls manage to win and do it strongly.

  • 108.Nils: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:11 pm

    @Clanerk(Clanerk)-96: sorry “as long as” it was ment.

    My English sometimes sucks big time.

  • 109.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:11 pm

    Willieviz waar is jy.

    So’n knowldgeable rugby supporter maar soek altyd live streaming as die game amper klaar is!

  • 110.DAS: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:11 pm

    Everyone talks about the young Saffa 10s, but the young NZ 10s — Barrett, Anscombe, Cruden — have played outstanding rugby in the first few weeks of this season.

  • 111.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:12 pm

    bulls kicking away possession again
    Not going to win that way

  • 112.Kleuter: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:12 pm

    @DAS(DAS)-110: In SA, in NZ they talk about them.

  • 113.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:14 pm

    Cruden looks like a serial killer

  • 114.Kleuter: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:14 pm

    This is what to expect this year from the Bulls. Up-and-down. All about inexperience.

  • 115.out wide: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:14 pm

    @Clanerk(Clanerk)-99: Yeah right Clannie if there is only one woman in NZ she must be pretty worn out by now

  • 116.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:15 pm

    @Dawn(Dawn)-113:

    The Bundy or the Sithole kind?

  • 117.Kleuter: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:16 pm

    Bulle besig om my nou kwaad te maak.

  • 118.Nils: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:18 pm

    @willievz(willievz)-100: or try globalsports.co.nr (with all that http and 3w stuff) I am watching this one.

  • 119.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:19 pm

    Disagree with vermaak tap kick had no real support
    Bulls need to chip away at lead

  • 120.Wezwp: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:19 pm

    @Kleuter(Kleuter)-117: hahahhahaha is by tyd. die stormers is die nuwe baas van sa rugby.

  • 121.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:19 pm

    Yep, the Bulls squeaked a win against an extremely undercooked Sharks team, beat the lowly Cheetahs and they were singing their names on the mountain.

    And now?

  • 122.Kleuter: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:19 pm

    This game is over, sad to say. Time for a cold one or 9.

  • 123.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:20 pm

    @Nils(Nils)-118:
    Also
    http://www.vipbox.tv

  • 124.Clanerk: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:20 pm

    @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-121: Supporting a foreign team against a Saffer side? Typical Shark.

  • 125.Kleuter: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:21 pm

    @Wezwp(Wezwp)-120: Ja sure.

  • 126.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:22 pm

    @Clanerk(Clanerk)-124: where am I supporting a foreign team? Point out the exact post please.

  • 127.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:23 pm

    @Kleuter(Kleuter)-122:
    blues my tire at altitude so maybe not over

  • 128.weakoma: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:23 pm

    @Kleuter(Kleuter)-117: My ook, het verwag hulle sal die blues op Loftus goed wen..

  • 129.cab: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:23 pm

    give jj engel die fokkending, he’s the only one who looks dangerous..

  • 130.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:24 pm

    @cab(cab)-129:

    Cruden also looks a bit dangerous according to Dawn… ;)

  • 131.Dwarslat: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:24 pm

    HKGK

  • 132.Clanerk: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:25 pm

    @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-121: That one, seems you’re using the Bulls struggles to justify your Sharks agenda, a perverse sort of pleasure. :)

  • 133.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:26 pm

    Haha this ref has no control over the breakdown

  • 134.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:26 pm

    Bulls are sitting back waiting for the Blues

  • 135.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:27 pm

    @Clanerk(Clanerk)-132: nothing I said is incorrect and I nothing I said supports the foreign team.

  • 136.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:27 pm

    Bundy

  • 137.Wezwp: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:27 pm

    where are the bus fans? one thing about the stormers, the fans are there week in and week out. ……..sorry about the loss bulls

  • 138.cab: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:28 pm

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-130:
    janee tittie, but where is steggies?

  • 139.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:28 pm

    Still 20 mins to play, lots of time.

  • 140.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:29 pm

    just catch the ball that was 5 points right there

  • 141.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:30 pm

    Wez hou jou bek man the game aint over yet

  • 142.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:30 pm

    jeeez… this is not like Steyn at all.

  • 143.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:30 pm

    Ok thats it cant score cant kick
    Pretty much over ??

  • 144.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:30 pm

    @cab(cab)-138:

    Evidentally not there. CJ Stander is red as a tomato and slumped shoulders and hasn’t even done half the work Stegmann usually does.

    Morne is missing a few, hurting us.

  • 145.Wezwp: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:31 pm

    can anyone give me the attendance of the stormers vs sharks game? where can a man such as mysef pick up the weekly super15 attendances

  • 146.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:31 pm

    Almighty Bulletjies looking decidedly KAAAK without Steggies doing all the invisible hard grunt work where no one recognizes it

    A loss here and then its wakey wakey back to reality even the invincible Steyn got the heeby jeeby jelly wobbly jitters

  • 147.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:31 pm

    In the past the Bulls relied heavily on Steyn to get his kicks. Now he’s missing them, what do they do? :?:

  • 148.Kleuter: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:31 pm

    Game over.

  • 149.cab: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:32 pm

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-144:
    i see. must be injured.

  • 150.Wezwp: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 20:32 pm

    if morne cant kick then 70% of the game is already lost to the bulls, they know nothing of unning rugby unless they playing kak like the cheetahs

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